Acupuncture is among the oldest healing practices in the world. It involves inserting hair-thin needles into specific points on the body in order to relieve pain and treat various illnesses. In Chinese medical theory, acupuncture points exist along meridians that traverse the entire body, forming a web-like matrix. These meridians contain the body’s most vital substance: Qi. They conduct this Qi, or energy, from the surface of the body to the internal organs and body tissues. By stimulating the points along these meridians, Qi is encouraged to flow freely. A common Chinese medical saying is “If there is no free flow, there is pain; if there is free flow, there is no pain.” Which means to say, that all pain and illness result from a blockage of Qi, and acupuncture helps to eliminate this blockage and restore free flow.
In 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO) published “Acupuncture: Review and Analysis of Controlled Clinical Trials,” which examined controlled clinical trials up to 1998 and came up with a list of illnesses that were scientifically proven to be treated effectively by acupuncture. The list is as follows:
• Adverse reactions to radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy
• Allergic rhinitis (including hay fever)
• Biliary colic
• Depression (including depressive neurosis and depression following stroke)
• Dysentery, acute bacillary
• Dysmenorrhoea, primary
• Epigastralgia, acute (in peptic ulcer, acute and chronic gastritis, and gastrospasm)
• Facial pain (including craniomandibular disorders)
• Headache
• Hypertension, essential
• Hypotension, primary
• Induction of labor
• Knee pain
• Leukopenia
• Low back pain
• Malposition of fetus, correction of
• Morning sickness
• Nausea and vomiting
• Neck pain
• Pain in dentistry (including dental pain and temporomandibular dysfunction)
• Periarthritis of shoulder
• Postoperative pain
• Renal colic
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Sciatica
• Sprain
• Stroke
• Tennis elbow
Acupuncture is generally painless, though a slight “prick” may be felt on insertion. Some conditions require stronger stimulation of the needle resulting in a dull, achy, or throbbing sensation. These sensations are normal and should quickly dissipate. Patients can expect to feel either energized or relaxed by their treatment. The number of treatments required varies from patient to patient. Long-standing or chronic conditions will require more lengthy treatment than acute, or short-term conditions. Your practitioner will evaluate you individually on your first visit in order to determine the frequency and duration of your treatment.